Last Updated on 17/10/2023
In this part of the story about Alsace, we will look at Ribeauville and Riquewihr.
The Alsace Wine Route has been around for over 70 years and is (deservedly) extremely popular. The question of choice inevitably arises – which city to visit? In the topic, I chose the very best cities and villages from a cultural point of view (the most beautiful).
What to see in Alsace. Alsace attractions from Selestat to Colmar
Selestat and around: Koenigsbourg Castle, Monkey Mountain, Cigoland
Alsace Wine Route. 2. Kaysersberg and Eguisheim
Strasbourg (Strassburg). What to see
Attractions of Black Forest (Schwarzwald). 1. From Altensteig to Gengenbach
Black Forest what to see. 2. From Gengenbach to Wildkirch
High Black Forest map
What to see in Alsace. 1. Northern Alsace
Alsace public transport and welcome cards
How to get there
From Colmar bus 106 Riquewihr – Hunawihr – Ribeauville.
From Selestat bus 109. Watch out for lunch breaks!
Kut’zig – open-top bus through wine towns for about 15 euros (link).
Alsace public transport and welcome cards
Ribeauville
Ribeauville was already known in Roman times (Rappolti villa), and since 1290 it appears in documents as a city.
Ribeauville, compared to others, is a fairly large city. The old part goes deeper into the hills. The city is a long narrow street, along which cars drive quite quickly every minute, despite the traffic controller, who sends tourists cars to a large parking lot near the entrance to the old city center. It is incredibly annoying, especially if you are walking in a group. Perhaps it will be quieter in the evening.
Above the street, from time to time ruins of the castle of St. Ulrich are visible. They are the best preserved from three castle ruins of the city.
The castle is located on an exceptionally steep slope. The two roads leading to it are barely passable for strollers, small children and people with limited mobility.
In addition to the ruins of the castle of St. Ulrich and half-timbered buildings, in the city there is an interesting church of St. Gregory (13th century, Gothic).
A cozy square near the end of an endless street with the only (as usual in France at lunchtime) working donner is the best place in town.
Finally we reached the end of the street.
All three castles:
Ulrichsburg (French: Château de Saint-Ulrich),
Burg Girsberg
and Burg Hohrappoltstein (French: Château du Haut-Ribeaupierre)
are located close to each other. The latter is the highest at the top and is completely closed to the public due to possible collapses.
It is not entirely clear from the description why they needed so many castles in one place. All of them were built mainly in the 13th century and by the 17th century, with the extinction of the owner’s family and wars, they fell into an uninhabited ruined state.
Castle St. Ulrich’s was preserved better than the other two (on the photo the left one).
Further along the road to the mountains there is a place called Dusenbach with a Capuchin monastery and Notre Dame Church.
One of the Rappoltsteins, owners of Ribeauville by fief from the bishops of Basel, twice participated in the crusades. Upon his return, he founded this monastery and died there almost immediately. From his travels he brought back a statue of the Virgin Mary. The monastery, built in the 13th century, was not very lucky – it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The last restoration was in the 19th century, believed to be close to the original in neo-Gothic style.
Riquewihr
Riquewihr is a picturesque old town (from the list of the most beautiful cities in France). To see it beautiful, come at a time that is unpopular with tourists.
The name is associated with a certain Frank Richo, who founded the settlement of Richo Villa. In 1291, city walls were built, and in 1320 the settlement received city rights. For a very long time the city and surrounding area belonged to the Württembergs, until it joined France with the French Revolution.
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The city walls and the old town are well preserved. As an additional program they offer a prison museum with a torture room.
On our visit, Riquewihr was the most crowded and the most colorful, and I would say the most kitschy, and therefore ended up at the bottom of my personal ranking of Alsatian half-timbered cities.
All posts about #Alsace
What to see in Alsace. Alsace attractions from Selestat to Colmar
Alsace Wine Route. 2. Kaysersberg and Eguisheim
Strasbourg (Strassburg). What to see
Selestat and around: Koenigsbourg Castle, Monkey Mountain, Cigoland
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